Swan Lake
by Iwish2knowmyname
Summary: 28 years passed since the Evil Queen was last seen in the Enchanted Forest, since the Apprentice brought Isaac back to our world before he could temper with the story. 28 years since the Black Curse failed to be enacted and since Snow White had her happy ending. But, you know what they say about living happily ever after …


_**Swan Lake**_

" _OUAT" characters belong to ABC, Kitsis/Horowitz and Disney. Fairy Tales belong to humanity and no money is ever to be made out of the following lines for they belong to man kind as well._

 _AU (Enchanted Forest), SQ (of course) …_

 _Rating M_

 _I only am sorry about potential misspelling._

 _ **Summary:** _

_28 years passed since the Evil Queen was last seen in the Enchanted Forest, since the Apprentice brought Isaac back to our world before he could temper with the story. 28 years since the Black Curse failed to be enacted and since Snow White had her happy ending. But, you know what they say about living happily ever after …_

 **o**

 **Returning Home**

 **o**

Emma let herself merge in the familiar sound of her pace echoing White castle's immense walls. The corridors were mostly deserted. As it usually was at night. The light and warm remains scents of burning fire and cooking flew over her.

She was home.

She felt home.

There was nothing better than coming home.

She frowned, feeling the too well known ache slowly raising in her heart. To come back she had to leave … Thus hurting the feeling of the ones she loved the most.

But even as she was back for only a few moments she was planning her leave. She knew she had to go, search, fight, ride free. Again.

She was a wanderer. A knight. And no warm feeling of home had never been enough to make her stay. No matter how warm and light.

Something was always missing.

She slowed while hearing her mother's voice through her little brother's open bedroom door.

"Once upon a time, in the Enchanted Forest lived a beautiful princess and a beautiful prince whom an evil witch were pursuing. The witch, known as the Evil Queen was the princess' step-mother for she had wed her father before poisoning him and taking rule over the kingdom.

The witch was very proud of her nice features and when the little princess had turn into a beautiful woman and became even fairer than the queen, the witch swore then to kill the poor princess just as she killed her father … and …"

"Mom … I already know that part! It's _your_ story … I want to know what happened to the Dark Queen!?"

"Oh … Well, okay, so … straight to that part then?"

"Yes … Please? _After_ the sleep curse …"

Emma giggled in silence, hiding in the door frame to steal glimpses of her mother and brother.

"Once the witch's sleeping curse was broken by a true love's kiss from prince Charming, both him and Snow White decided to take the kingdom back from the Evil Queen and fight for their freedom. So they sought for help, magical help …"

"Lord Rumple?! I mean … Rumplestilskin? The former Dark One?!"

"No, baby … Not him. We thought about it … But as you know, magic always came with a price and … Taking the Evil Witch down could only ask for too much … Especially _his_ magic. So … The prince and the princess went to see someone no one would suspect had come to the princess to propose an alliance … She was a powerful sorceress and, as it came to be unveiled, she had been a dear friend to the Evil Queen and such as knew of the threat to curse the whole kingdom to be true. She was in fact the one from whom the Evil Queen had stolen the curse and therefore was very frightened for her own life and the one of her child …"

Emma hold her breath. She knew the story already, mostly. Her parents had always been rather evasive about it when she was her brother's age but time had passed and her mother was wiser. She had been a queen for merely 28 years now.

"The witch was pregnant?! Weren't you too?!"

"Yes, baby, I was too, I was pregnant with your sister and we were worried the Evil Queen would enact her curse so we went to see Maleficent in her castle and made a deal. As we didn't really trust her, our path to find a way to beat the Evil Queen went a little bit off tracks but, eventually we came cross to a solution … I remember it well. We had just had gotten into a fight with Maleficent and we were very worried about Emma's well being and as we were crossing the forest when we heard a man crying for help and at the time we arrived on spot we could only witness him being pulled by a bearded old man through a white door … Your father bravely run to help the man but was unable to reach the door in time and it disappeared into thin air …"

"Where did the door led? And who were the men mother?!"

"We never learned that, unfortunately neither ever reappeared … But near the spot were they disappeared we found a small cart full of stuff and only seeking to help discover what had happened we searched it and found a map … A magical map leading to an ancient land that had been forgotten and lost."

"Why has it been forgotten and lost, mother?! How could a land be lost?!"

"Oh, my dear child … The land had been lost for it was a land of darkness and sorrow, a land known as The Forest of Monsters … It had been lost as none would dare to enter it!"

"Was it the same as The Black Forest?!"

"Well … Yes, it is the same, my love … This forest has had many names. And it reaches many lands, so many, in deed, that no one knows exactly how deep the forest is. It is the forest were Bluebeard had his castle, were Baba Yaga trapped little children … It is the part of the forest were the Blind Witch had her wonderful house made of candy … But it is all closed now, you know that, right?"

"Yes there is a large and tall wall made all of brambles."

"Yes, Maleficent made the wall … She sealed the forest after we cast the Evil Queen in the forest."

" _You_ did that?! How?"

"Yes, my baby, now, would you like to hear the rest of it or are you going to keep asking random questions?"

"Sorry …"

Snow White let out a giggle and caught her son's nose between two fingers.

"So, where were we? Ah, right … _Snow White_ and prince Charming found the map leading to the forest, and to a pond of magical water within the forest. Which pond's magic would allow to transform a dark heart into a harmless form … Only listening to their courage the princess and the prince went to Maleficent again and came to the agreement to put aside their differences for the time of their quest. It was a quest in deed and after a lot of worries and frightening encounters they arrived at the pond … And some time before your sister was born the Evil Queen disappeared in the forest and to ensure she would stay in the woods Maleficent raised the bramble walls and closed the woods forever … And that's why they call it the Dark Woods now … And the rest of us lived happily ever after!"

"Wow … Wait a minute! You skipped the best part mom! And what about Emma?! And Maleficent's baby?!"

"Yes, Ma … What about that?"

Nicely said Emma entering the room.

Neil and Snow both shouted out of pure joy at her sight.

The dark haired boy jumped out of bed and ran towards his sister.

"Emma!"

"Hey kid."

She jiggled his hair happily while sharing a warm smile with her mother whom she found older and guessed the worry in her eyes. She straightened herself up a little, instinctively. As if appearing taller would cut through her mother's fears. Snow took in her daughter's features. Emma looked tired but happy, well fed and pink. Her hair was pulled back by a braid starting on the top of her head. Some blonde locks still hung on her shoulders along with smaller braids. She was wearing blue traveling pants, leather riding boots and a blue jacket over a white shirt. She looked both smart and feminine despite her manly outfit. A short sword hung at her belt which sight of made Snow smile.

Emma let go of her brother with one harm thus inviting her mother. The small round woman joined her children and a happy laughter rang free within the White castle's walls.

"Oh, Emma … My sweet, sweet girl …"

Whispered the mother burying her smooth face in her daughter's neck. Emma giggled. _Sweet_ wasn't exactly a word anyone would use first to describe her, despite from her mother.

Neil wriggled to get some space and raised his big bright green eyes to his sister with a frown. Despite the hair brother and sister looked alike.

"How long are you staying? You know it's my 12th birthday soon, right?!"

Asked the boy.

Emma giggled along with her mother and thrust her fingers in his hair again.

"Of course little brother! That's why I'm here!"

"Yay! We've got to tell dad! I'm going to find him!"

Shouted the boy already running out the door before his mother could even gasp. She shook her head and turned back to her daughter.

"He's right, though … How long are you staying?"

"Until his birthday, then I have to go, they say the King of Cats is dead and I have to check that out because I know his daughter rather well she must be devastated …"

Snow pouted but held her tongue. She had learn her lesson a long while ago. And rather sharply too. When Emma was sixteen they had gotten into a big fight over her desire to become a knight and travel the world to fight against evil and darkness. They tried to keep her safe and forbid her to even leave the castle's ground. So she ran away and only came back a year after that with a boy she had escaped with from a horrid place named Neverland.

Emma smiled, guessing her mother's thoughts.

"Emma!"

Shouted her father's voice. The embraces and laughter lasted until late that night while the family enjoyed the return of the prodigal daughter.

 **oo**

 **Neverland**

 **oo**

Late in the morning the four White indulged in a comfortable breakfast on the balcony. A warm yellow sun was already burning high and a fresh orange juice scent melted scrumptiously with the greasy butter merging on the toasts.

It was heaven.

It had been a long time since they were all together for such a simple event and it made their sweet hearts melt with love and care. Life was beautiful and their land too under their eyes.

The boy was harassing his sister with questions about her travels. When he finally decided that he knew enough of Emma's newest adventures he asked for the old ones.

"Oh, Neil, leave Emma alone … You know all those stories!"

The boy pouted.

"No, I don't! Not really … Every time Emma tell them she remembers a new detail she had forgotten …"

Emma and her father giggled. The _puppy_ face Neil was making was Snow's doing. Entirely.

"Fine, I'll tell … Which one do you want?"

"The first one … When you got away to Neverland and met Baelfire and Captain Hook!"

"You sure?"

"Yes! It's my absolute favorite!"

Emma smiled and started the story as her parents shared a fast look.

"So … Where to begin with? Ah, right … The pirate ship … So, I was …"

"No! You have to tell it like a story Emma …"

Cut the boy obviously.

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, so … Princess Emma … No … I can't call myself that!"

The boy frowned in a warning and Emma shrugged.

"Fine, okay. Princess Emma then. She was leaving the castle for the very first time and wasn't aware of all the dangers the world could provide … And as she was separated from her parents she was in great danger but was in luck to come across path with the dear Captain Hook who protected her and provided a job for her aboard his ship the _Jolly Roger_ …" The first par of the story came a little twisted from reality as it was her agreement with her parents. In deed in reality the _nice_ captain had agree on taking her aboard his ship when she was running from her parents but for a price. All of her gold actually. "Once aboard the _Jolly Roger_ they shipped for a faraway island …" continued Emma accommodating in speaking about herself in the third person.

"You are cutting holes through the story, Emma …"Complained the boy.

"Well, you know, it's not very interesting the part were Killian Jones teaches me how to sword fight and make me a true sailor after we meet mermaids, is it? I thought you wanted to hear about Neverland?"

"Yeah, you're right … I prefer the part about Neverland."

"So … After many adventures together, and fleeing once more from danger they shipped, by accident almost, to a faraway island were captain Hook had already been once and had lost his brother … That's how and were he had become a pirate, and moreover, it's how he had met his long life enemy Peter Pan … For he was the lone ruler of Neverland. A dark and cruel soul only engaged in a search of power. He was holding poor boys prisoners, trapped as his slaves and one of them was fighting back. When the captain and his crew landed in search for a magical plant that grew there and in which the captain wanted to smear his hook, they encountered the Lost Boys and got into a fight. They only got away with their lives because of a young boy that wanted to follow them. His name was Baelfire … And Hook knew that name to be the one of his other sworn enemy's long lost son. The son of the woman he loved and whom Rumplestilskin had viciously killed.

Only listening to his pain and anger the brave captain Hook lured the boy into thinking he was safe aboard the pirate ship. Baelfire was in deed a valiant boy, nothing like his father. He knew things about life a boy should not know and Killian Jones saw in him traces of his mother and was unable to fulfill his plan. The good captain forgot about it and took the boy as his own.

Baelfire was resourceful and had a plan to trap Pan's shadow and use it to fly away … But Pan and his lost boys defeated them and Emma and Bealfire got separated from the rest of the crew. They all erred deep in the jungle. The terrible jungle … Pan's kingdom, full of his mind's traps.

After being lost long enough to loose their minds the pirates all managed to get out but another of Pan's plan prevented them to leave. As they were fighting him on the ship Killian Jone, listening to his heart, admitted to Baelfire who he was and what he planned to do in order to convince the boy that pirates couldn't be trusted and that he had to leave with Pan's shadow. Enraged, the boy fought the captain but Peter Pan got between them, trying to get his shadow back and thus … Causing his own doom. The captain managed to trick Pan and hold him while they all watched as Emma and Baelfire flew in the sky, hanging on Pan's shadow … Leaving Neverland to never come back. Loosing their pirate friends forever …"

Neil was drinking Emma's word. The boy's face was in pain at the mention of the lost pirates. He fell back in his chair vanquished.

Emma smiled deeply.

"Don't worry little brother … If I know someone, I know Killian Jones and he is not the one to let a crimson boy get in his way. He will come back!"

"Yes, I know that … But Rumplestilskin, I mean Lord Rumple is not evil anymore! What will he say about that?!"

The King giggled softly and ran a hand in his son's hair.

"Don't worry son, I'll bet you he's too old to think of revenge now … Twelveyears have passed you know …"

"I know. But still … What if he wants to take revenge on Baelfire's father and …"

"He won't. Don't worry kid, I'll tell him out of it. So, what'd'ya say about riding with you old sister today? Maybe we could have a picnic or something?"

"Yay!"

"We may, and we should, all together!"

Said Snow.

"Yay!"

They all watched the boy run to his bedroom to get dressed and shared a glare before bursting out of laugh. He had soon forgot all about Rumplestilskin and Hook.

Emma shook her head and frowned. Sometimes she wearied for Hook too. He had only been her friend for a year, but, what a year! She was in deed worried he would never come back but should he ever, she too was worried the pirate would still be longing to kill a man that no longer was.

Rumplestiskin had lost all his powers a long time ago, when she was a child herself and as she didn't know of his hatred for the man she had never had gotten a chance to tell him. She realised who his _crocodile_ was only minutes before they left from Neveland with Bae … So she had never had the chance to tell him that for the love of his beautiful wife whom he had rescued from the Evil Queen's dungeons, Rumplestilskin had found the way to forgive himself and let go of his powers, casting them into a black cauldron to ensure no one would ever take advantage of them ever again. He had long buried the want to find his boy using wrong means and had vowed to uphold to new standards. To make him proud.

And proud he was in deed, Baelfire when they came back from Neverland and he found his father married and happy, living as a kind ruler in his wife's kingdom and spending his time to mend his mistakes and make amends. Of course he wasn't perfect but, he was only a man again and that was all that mattered.

 **ooo**

 **Brambles**

 **ooo**

Tangled branches in tight swirls. All thorns and larges green leaves. Almost no light came out of the forest. Or went in.

The brambles seemed alive, growing towards the sky.

The edge of the Black Woods stamped out the raising dawn.

Silence. Deep silence was drowning the place. No animals from the forest ever approached the border. Even the trees kept their branches away from the living wall.

They knew, they felt the darkness luring between shadows. Hiding.

Something like a slow breathing came out the brambles.

There was a way in. A sort of door in the rambles. An arch of leaves and thorns were a few blackberries could tempt the gourmands. Almost an invitation.

Only fear was watching the door. What was inside couldn't leave. Only what was outside could go in.

In the other forest day light stung through the leaves. Warm, round and living light. Yellow and white arrows caressing all the shades of green. Moss on rocks. A bird was happily whistling not so far away. It smelled fresh and sweet. A little acid.

The wolf sat, her red eyes turned to the door. She closed her eyes delighted by a slow caress on her head and neck. The hunter didn't talk. He knelt, fingers still buried in the smooth fur. He watched.

Patient.

He watched as the light slowly made its way towards the door. And then he watched again. Eyes piercing the shadows.

Suddenly a thrilling scream torn off the sky. A woman. The hunter frowned. The villagers were right. Someone was trapped into the woods.

A young boy had been lost in the woods some days ago. They had found him prostrate, terrified and cold near the door. Mumbling about a hairy beast taller than the sky and a girl. He said the most beautiful girl was living in the woods, she had given him some food and water and had taken care of him. He said the beast was keeping her. She had shown him the way out of the woods and made him swear never to come back ever again. And then he had seen the beast. The girl had pushed him out of the woods, making the beast angry. No one was supposed to leave the woods. So the boy had run. Run, run. Just like she screamed him to do. He had run and suddenly the sun had come. Dawn. Beautiful, wonderful, comforting dawn. And the boy thought he was saved. And that was when he had heard.

The most desperate and heart breaking scream. A scream of pure terror and pain. It had drilled his exhausted mind and left him terrified.

That's why the villagers had come to him. The hunter. They all came along. The villagers left him live in the woods, with his wolves and they didn't kill the wolves as long as he protected them from wild animals and bandits. They all knew once ago the Evil Queen had stolen his heart because he had refused to kill Snow White. They all thanked him for that. No matter who he was and how wild, the White Queen owed him her life.

It was common knowledge that people that walked through the door never came back. They didn't pass the night. It was so, it had been so and, they thought, it would always be so.

But maybe not … Maybe someone had survived. And all that had lost a child to the forest were full of hope again. What if their loved ones were still alive? What if that girl was Kate, the blacksmith's daughter? What if she was Deirdre, the lost wife of one of the farmers?

The hunter didn't like humans. But as he had aged his heart had softened. These villagers were his. In his honor and as a good reason to have a feast they had invented the day of the wolves. And during that day he was invited, with his pack, in the village and the kids would play with them, they would all play music and laugh. They had made a place for him in their village and in their hearts. Helen, the innkeeper, had even made a place for him in her warm bed.

He let out a breath and took a step forward. He was almost at the door when the wolf barked. She growled to the darkness. She was warning him. She wouldn't go. Not into the woods.

"Come on girl … It's fine … We'll just take a quick pick."

The wolf stopped growling but she didn't come forward. She threw him a painful look and turned away.

"Ohr! Come on! It's just woods!"

The hunter turned his gaze to the woods. Despite the bright morning cold darkness was crawling on the tall trees. Even the trees looked up to no good. He mumbled.

He knew better than go in by himself. Even during the day.

 **oooo**

 **Tears of a Mother are heavy and bright**

 **oooo**

Drying tears on her cheeks draw sore lines that the raging wind licked causing a stinging pain. Snow White stood quiet with all her sorrow as long as Emma's shadow was in sight riding towards falling sun. She felt old and broken. She wasn't that old but all her worry weighted tons on her heart.

"Snow … Come on my love … She'll be fine."

"Every time she goes away … Every time I think of that moment … The moment I knew. The moment I first felt a life was growing inside of me. I never stopped worrying since that moment, David. Never. Oh how happy I am since that day, my love, how happy and how lost all at the same time …"

David wrapped his wife by the shoulders and led her back inside.

"I know, my love, I know … I also am terrified since the beginning. But we can't change who she is."

On the road Emma and her small troupe rode fast. Dust flowing under the horses quick hoofs. Baelfire was on her right and the Huntsman on her left. Six men were following. Six of Baelfire and Emma's most trusted knights. Friends. Two of them wore the White kingdom's square on their chests. The others wore Sir Maurice's mark, the same as Bealfire. Lady Belle and Lord Rumple's mark now, since the old sir Maurice had died.

While Bae was usually riding with Emma they still belonged to different realms.

It was common knowledge, even to Emma, that Bea was _nearly_ in love with her. And it was common knowledge, even to Bae, that Emma didn't _nearly_ reciprocate. She loved him as a friend, not as a brother for they had been in love once. A long time ago. As kids.

But Emma longed for more and Baelfire wasn't the one, much to everyone's annoyance. Especially Bae and Snow.

Snow wanted her daughter to fall in love, she was convinced it would be the call for her to stop running around the world. The call for her to have children and settle.

The truth was, Emma didn't want children. She didn't want a home. She didn't want a man either. She wanted something else. Something unknown. Something deep and warm. Something violent and pure. Something like truth. Something like total understanding. Not someone she could always agree with, not even someone she would like everything about. But someone she would love entirely, blindly, fiercely, almost painfully. And someone that would love her back without question. Someone she would know instinctively and would know her the same.

Baelfire was angry. Well, maybe not _angry_ but annoyed. Emma and the Huntsman had gotten along right away. He was old enough to be her father but the man had a sort of powerful quietness surrounding him. And he was very handsome. And his accent was endearing.

He hated that she was laughing at his stories.

He hated that he couldn't make her love him like he loved her.

 **ooOoo**

 **Into the Woods**

 **ooOoo**

They arrived at the door a little before morning. The Huntsman had told them the scream came every morning at dawn so they had decided to enter the woods a little before that.

Leaving the horses near a small river they went on foot. Swords drawn for the knights, the Huntsman had his bow ready. They didn't hesitate to enter, one by one, since the passageway allowed only one to pass.

They expected anything.

The Huntsman was walking very quietly and at a quick pace. The eight knights were slower and louder. Not used to moving on foot with their armors. Emma regretted she had let Bae and her father convince her it was necessary. She wanted to go in a leather armor, much lighter and allowing more movement. And she regretted leaving her longbow. It wasn't much to hunt but if the beast was bigger than a bear it could have been useful.

The woods were so dark they could barly see before their feet. Emma looked back, trying to remember the way to the door in the poor light the moonlight could provide.

"Better be prudent than dead" as would Killian Jones say.

Her eyes only met darkness. As if the way had been erased. The dark was palpable. Her gloved fingers crushed the grip of her sword. They could hear a slow and low breath.

The woods itself were breathing.

Rustling, swishing, hissing, whispering. Moving. The noises were so slow and low it was unbearable. The leaves were hissing in a wind they couldn't feel. The trees were cracking and no life made itself known. No birds. No nothing. As brave and fierce and experienced as they all were they would easily admit they were terrified. Emma thought they were walking for hours even if it probably was minutes.

They all felt rather than saw dawn. Even light seemed to be cautious here. Slowly moving, crawling over the earth. They all nodded when the Huntsman silently invited them to follow the sun light. They walked slowly. And suddenly it came. Spiking their racing hearts. The scream.

The Huntsman was fast. Running, jumping like an animal. He raced. Loosing the slow knights.

They found him breathing loudly before a calm lake. Smoke of cold was evaporating on surface. Nothing made a sound or a move. There was only the first rays of morning, shyly troubling the still glass of the water.

And a single black swan.

It didn't move at first and the sight of it took their breath away. There wasn't a single wave on the mirror of the water endlessly going away from the eye. Not a strand of wind. Not a sound but their own hearts and breaths. The light was a cold yellow and the lake seemed made of mercury.

Even the dark green giant trees seemed to await the right moment to laugh at them.

The bird stood still a moment and then slid away.

If it wasn't for the small waves indicating they weren't dreaming it was almost as if the animal didn't move at all. Like some force had make it move.

As morning settled they heard a bird. A finch maybe. Or a sparrow. Soon the woods were awake. Birds. Birds were crooning their relentless songs. Far away, on the other side of the lake a stag belled.

Terrified and enchanted they gazed at each other and, nodding, they decided to walk back to the door.

The forest was still rather dark but the stiffness of the rare light rays made it surrealistically appealing. They felt like children afraid of the dark daring to leave their houses at night. As these children usually find out the night not to be so terrifying, they found the Black Wood were quiet and peaceful. Their pace slowed but they didn't put their swords away.

Before they knew it they were merging with the small details that made the forest the song of life. The sound of their boots on the leaves and grass on the floor. The smell of earth and moisture. Sweet evanescent smell of some shy flowers.

With buzzing heads and light hearts they wandered their way back, enjoying the quietness and wondering why people were afraid of the woods in the first place.

It was heavenly, a bit weird maybe, but heavenly. A tinkling river made them smile.

The bright song of the water was the right oracle of its beauty. A small arm of clear water rolling between rocks covered by a sweet green carpet. Everything was bright yellows and greens. It was inviting. Bea leaned to drink when a waving chill burst over Emma's spinal cord. She stopped him, grabbing his arm.

She closed her eyes and listened.

The water was in deed singing. Singing a song of words.

 _"_ _They_ _will turn_ _to_ _lion, the one_ _s_ _that drink my liquid iron …_ _They_ _will turn_ _to_ _lion, the one_ _s_ _that drink my liquid iron …_ _They_ _will turn_ _to_ _lion, the one_ _s_ _that drink my liquid iron …"_

Baelfire pulled his hand out the water and dried it on his lap. Both Emma and him frowned. The Huntsman was a few steps ahead, he had try to fasten them, his eyes opened widely. He shouted.

Too late.

One of Bea's knight had drank and had fell on his knees. Holding his stomach with both hands. Another knight stepped forward but was stopped by a low and wild growling coming from the man's chest. His dark hair was turning orange.

"Run!" Shouted Emma. "He's turning into a lion!"

Lifted by fear and tortured by shame they loudly and heavily put the more distance they could between them and their friend. They stopped only to understand they were lost.

With dry mouths they witnessed the change in the light. It became colder. Thinner. A small wind started to blow cold swirls around them. Also leaving words in their minds.

 _"_ _Lost, lost, little boys, lost, lost, little girls … All are lost in the woods, but were will they go?_ _Were will they flow?_ _Lost, lost, little boys, lost, lost, little girls … All are lost in the woods, but were will they go?_ _Were will they flow?"_

A growling made them run. A sore and far growling. But a growling like they never heard before. It wasn't the growling of a lion. It was deeper, wilder. Coming out of a chest they could swear was the one of a giant. The growling of a bear maybe. The most enormous bear.

The Beast.

So the ones left ran, ran until their throats were sore and dry. Chests burning, legs burning, minds blown. They followed what little instinct they hoped desperately would work into these haunted woods.

And the beast was running. They could hear it breath and growl. They could hear the trees moving. It caught up with them. Emma quickly glanced behind them. She only had time to see its enormous teeth as big as swords cut like it would butter through one of her knights iron armor. It was bigger than anything she had ever seen. When it raised on its hind legs, still holding the corpse, it was taller than the trees. It threw the body with a turn of its giant head and let out the most terrifying scream the Enchanted Forest had ever witnessed.

Another scream answered. And then another. Smaller creatures. Lions, wolves, bears. The forest was the hunter. And they were the prey.

While the Beast screamed it had stopped for a small minute. And much to their luck they had reached the way they had come through. They could see the door. Beasts emerged from both sides. They didn't really think. Their body reacted for them and soon enough they were running outside. Outside the Black woods. Into the forest. They realised the beasts had stop at the door in their backs.

Out of breath, trembling, they let themselves fall to the floor.

"Everyone there?" Asked Emma, her voice quavering.

Small "ayes" answered. She looked at them. Bae's head was bleeding. The Huntsman was holding his harm. It looked broken. The other four were in no better shape but they were alive. They had lost two.

Emma frowned. She realised, looking at her bloody hands she had lost her sword fighting the animals. It was a gift from her father. He had a famous blacksmith make it for her when she was eighteen. For her knighting.

She frowned.

She felt naked suddenly.

The Black Woods echoed another wave of inhuman screams and growls.

She couldn't go back. Not now.

 **ooo ooo**

 **Ego**

 **ooo ooo**

Emma bit her bottom lip and looked through the window. The sun was low and already painting the sky in pink.

She would miss the cake and her brother would be devastated. He would probably forgive her, because he loved her so much. But she could still break something inside of him. He wasn't so little anymore.

She sighted and grabbed the window column. One foot at a time she walked along the façade. Then slowly came down to the stables.

Her parents had confined her high inside the castle until Neil's party. After that she would be sent away to the fairies. Hopefully they would agree to erase her memory of the Black Woods and everything would go back to normal. It was the plan anyway. Baelfire had admitted to Emma's parents his suspicion that she wanted to go back, to search for her sword and for the girl. And, so he feared, to kill the beast and become legend.

And he was right. And she would go alone as no one in the world would accompany her. Trust her. Believe in her. Not the way she wanted anyway.

She was glad she had left her longbow and some weapons at the stables. She dressed in her light leather armor and made her hair in a tight braid. She would only take her helmet. And a spear. And her bow, and knives.

"C'mon boy … C'mon …" She whispered to her horse, hand on his nose. He knew when to be quiet.

Something was pulling her back to the woods. She had to know. She knew it was wrong and selfish. She knew she had even better chances to die, going all alone and in the dark but she had to know. Somehow she felt it was her quest. It was the quest she had been waiting for … Somehow she felt it was her destiny waiting at the end of that road.

Into the woods.

The horse knew the way and after a night ride under the bright stars and an almost full moon Emma arrived at the edge of the Black Woods again. She left her horse over the same river they had the first time and let him out of the saddle and bridle, just in case she'd die. He didn't have to die too.

Almost without hesitation, a spear in the right hand and her bow in the other she entered the woods again. But this time she was quiet. And this time she was decided to be the hunter.

She closed her eyes and listened. The woods were breathing. It might have been the Beast. She heard the river. It was singing. She wondered why they hadn't hear it the first time on their way in. She started walking, fast, towards the song.

She passed the river and closed her eyes again. Another song. Almost the same but it spoke of a bear. She decided not to go that way and opened her eyes. Darkness everywhere. She walked straight forward.

No sound at all except her own breathing. But suddenly she realised she could smell something. Something unusual in such a place. Fire.

And someone was talking. A girl. A woman. Emma's heart was racing. This was it. They would sing songs about her prowess. They would write her name in golden letters in History. She would be known for something she had done, her, and only her, not her parents, not anyone before.

The sound of the disrupted gravels on the beach made the woman stop talking and turn her head. Her face was barely lit by the fire. Her long dark hair fell in a long braid over her shoulder to her chest. Emma realised she was previously talking to a small animal. It seemed to be a fox. The woman was sited on a log and the fox at her feet, one leg in her hand. She was wrapping it with something.

Emma slowly put down her spear and bow and took off her helmet.

"Hi … Please don't be frightened …" She said nicely.

The woman was simply looking at her. Speechless.

"I'm Emma. Who are you? I won't hurt you I swear, I only came to see if people were living in these woods … Are you the one that screams every morning?"

Emma spoke slowly. Pausing after each phrase to let the woman answer if she wanted. But she didn't. Not until the last question.

She blinked and her eyes fell back to her task. She finished wrapping and let go of the fox. The animal ran away very fast.

"You … You shouldn't be here …"

She said. Her voice was low and sore. Emma found it beautiful.

"I know. I know … may I come closer?" Asked Emma.

As the woman didn't answer nor moved she stepped closer. Deciding not to push her luck she just stood in front of the woman. The fire between them. It would also be a shield for herself if the woman was somehow bad news.

"Have you been lost in the woods?" Asked Emma.

The woman smiled sadly.

"You know I haven't … I wouldn't be here if I had … You know what happens to people here. You've been here before."

"How would you know that!?" asked Emma a little bit more harshly than she wanted.

"Oh, I saw you." simply answered the other woman pushing a rock with her foot.

"Are … Are you the Beast?"

The woman giggled.

"The giant? No … No I'm not the beast. I'm her prisoner. Just like everyone here. Well … Maybe not like everyone."

"Oh." sighted Emma, relieved. "Her prisoner? Would you like me to free you? I know the way back … Mostly."

"You can't. I can't leave the woods. And besides, you might not even be able to leave this time. I thought you came back for your friends. I'm sorry, one of them is dead. I tried to save him but there was nothing I could do. He was long dead when I got to him. We buried him along with the others."

"We?"

"Mm. Me and, some friends. Animals … You know."

"Oh. Thanks then. And Cole?" asked Emma.

The woman raised a questioning eyebrow.

"The other man."

"Oh. He's fine. He was there actually, the burial. He cried a lot for his friend. It's good that he's here cause we don't have many lions here anymore. We only have a rather old female and five young males. I think they really were brothers while they were human. They're really young so it's good to have a grown up around you know."

"Yah. I bet …" Emma was feeling surreal.

The woman giggled.

"I'm sorry. It must really sound all weird to you, but … It's been so long to me and … I don't really have much visitors so … But, you should really leave. I can lead you, if you want."

"What about the beast?"

"She's sleeping on the other side of the lake. If we're fast and quiet you might get out alive. I led a small boy out a few moons ago." said the woman getting up and looking at the sky.

"I know. It's him that told us about you and …"

"Fascinating. Let's speak while we walk, shall we?" cut the woman passing her.

She was bare feet. Her robe was very poor. A straight cut, without sleeves. It seemed to be linen. Emma wondered if she was cold.

"Aren't you cold?"

The woman shrugged.

"Not anymore. I got used to it. Come. Don't make too much noise. The rivers are spies. And the birds too … I don't like the birds. They are the only animals that I can eat though. So. I guess I like them a little. They were never humans, you see. Not the birds. Not any bird. But that's not why I don't like them … I just never really liked birds I guess …"

She wasn't speaking fast but she was not expecting for Emma to answer. It made her smile.

"What about the swans?" cut Emma.

The woman looked at her, more surprised to be cut in the middle of a sentence than she was by the content of the question.

"There's only one of them. And by the way, it's too bad you're never coming back because I would have let you know that, actually, the water from the lake is the only one that doesn't turn you into anything. Good to know around here, isn't it? Well. I guess it still is for the best that you're never coming back here. It's not safe. Oh, by the way, you forgot your spear. Didn't you? I see you have your bow and your helmet but, you didn't take the spear did you?"

"No. It's a random spear. I have plenty more spears at the castle."

The woman smiled a warm smile. Emma noticed a small scar on her upper lip. She smiled back and set her bow on her shoulder. It was easier to carry it with a shoulder strap, even giving its size.

"Oh. Right. That makes perfect sense … Oh! By the way, one of you forgot a sword last time … Do you want it back?"

"Yes! It's mine! Were is it?! I came to take it back actually …"

The woman pouted.

"Well. You might have told some people you came for that but … you really came to kill the Beast right? I mean, it looks like a nice sword but … It's only a sword."

"It was a gift, from my father."

"Oh. Sorry. I guess it's a good reason to try to take it back … But … I still think you came to kill the Beast above all, didn't you?"

"Maybe. So … anyway, where is it?"

"Oh, I don't have it right now!" she said obviously. Frowning at Emma like if she was stupid. "I have it in my place, I'll throw it out the woods tomorrow night, is that acceptable?"

Emma smiled amused by the woman's weird mannerism.

"Yes. It would be very kind, thank you."

"Why, you're welcome." giggled the woman with a bright smile, for as much as Emma could see in the dark.

They suddenly came near a pool of morning light and the woman stopped. She looked frightened.

"I … I have to go! It's later than I thought! I have to leave! I … Follow the light, it'll lead you to the door! Never come back, Emma! I'll give you your sword back! Farewell!"

She shouted then she started to run back to the lake. Emma could see the door already as the light was wrapping her feet. She put her helmet back on and seized her bow. She readied an arrow. And ran after the woman. She had to know. She had to understand. And she hadn't come here to leave empty handed.

She reached the lake before the sun did. The woman looked at her, terrified.

"No! No! You have to leave! Please! It'll wake up! You can't stay!"

She shouted stepping towards Emma.

Then, it all happened too fast. Or too slow. Emma had barely time to hear and react. She ran to her spear first but it only made the Beast angrier. The spear still hanging on its chest the Beast came to Emma. She targeted the eye. The arrow missed. Not by much. But still. She missed. The beast threw her like a doll rag. She felt too many of her bones break to count. Before the world disappeared she heard the scream. Her mouth was full of blood. She couldn't move. Her cheek in the sand and gravels, a hand almost in the water. She heard the voice pleading. The woman was begging the beast to leave and then, she screamed. That's the last thing Emma saw. The woman was standing in the water and holding her head. Screaming. And then as the sun light touched the water it made a halo of white and black smoke around her. Emma felt her mind drift away. As if the black swan was dragging it on the lake as she slid away from the shore.

 **oooOooo**

 **Regina**

 **oooOooo**

Pain. Pain was the first thing she felt, rushing in waves. Torturing her head and her sore body. She then smelt fire. It smoothed her feelings a little. Emma opened her eyes to the night and the shadows of a fire on a wall. Broken bones. She was certain of that much, she had a lot of broken bones. The bitter iron taste of blood in her mouth reminded her she might have a concussion too.

She moaned.

"Shh … Don't speak. Don't make any noise." Whispered the swan woman.

Emma painfully turned her head to glimpse at her. She was crushing something in a bowl. Carefully turning her head Emma looked around. It was very small. The ceiling was rather low and the walls made of earth. The mattress she was lying on was soft though.

"How …" started Emma.

The woman came in sight and shut her, a finger on Emma's lips. She smelt of plants. Mint? And something else. Something strong and bitter. Emma felt cold on her skin.

"You are very stubborn …" Noted the woman, not a trace of anger in her voice. "I told you to leave. Now it's going to be much more complicated for you to leave. Possible. But she will be aware. The night is ours. She usually don't come at night. I guess she knows I'm stronger … I don't usually see her at night. Not anymore anyway. She only comes out during the day. And the forest is hers. The lake is mine but the forest, and the animals, are hers during the day. And the night is mine. And the animals too. I think they are hunting her at night … Just like they are waiting for me on the shore during the day …"

Emma listened to her sweet voice while she felt her hands working on her body. Applying leaves and spreading a weird greenish paste. Drying the blood and the sweat, washing the dirt, the wounds. She was leaving small water drops on her lips from time to time to rehydrate her.

"But we have to be careful … She knows the woods even better than I do. She's been here much longer. And, I think maybe she doesn't turn back to human anymore. I'm not certain. I just know it's been a very long time since last time I saw her at night. And even before she … well … She wasn't really _human_ anymore. Besides we can't be too careful. She could act different now … We never had anyone for so long. Usually the lost ones drink her water right away and turn or, when I can get to them, they got lost during the night so I can bring them back to the border …"

"Like the boy?" whispered Emma. Her voice was sore and came out weird.

"Yes. Like the boy. But … Well. He saw her too. I didn't find him right away. So he had time to see her in the morning … Is he alright? I didn't get to ask you last night."

"Yah. He's fine." talking hurt too much. She coughed.

"Don't talk. I'm sorry I made you talk. Just rest." she said sweetly. "I think I can heal you by tomorrow night but … I don't know where to hide you during the day. There's nowhere she can't go. She doesn't come here when I'm not here, she doesn't care for my things … but if you're in there she _will_ destroy it, I am certain of it. There's only the lake … So. I have made a raft. It's not much but it should hold. I can't carry you tough. Not to the lake nor to the door. You see a _friend_ helped me to take you back here … But they can't help in the morning … I mean, well … You can try to leave if you like but the lake is much closer. Do you think you will be able to walk later? It's only a few feet." her speech was rather random.

Emma nodded. She would certainly try anyhow. She closed her eyes and listened to the woman moving around.

They ate. The woman fed her with a wooden spoon she must have made herself. It was a poor meal but it was tasty.

"I don't really need to eat but I feel hunger when I don't. It's painful. And I found it better to focus on something … It is a shame really that the beast is here because I would have shown you my garden. I even grow roses … Well … I never seen them in day light and once in a while the Beast finds it and ruins it, but … It's not so frequent now. We kind of made peace, in a sense. I guess she got used to me. I wonder why she never wanted us to be friends. Maybe she can't. Maybe it's the whole point of her being. Or maybe she's not really here anymore. The rare times we met, I only got here and I was really angry and lost and sad … and … well. I guess it's the whole point of it. Anyway, she was turning back at night. But the animals were not kind to her. Not like they obey her during the day. She's so small and old and … I feel bad for her, you see. I know she's a monster but … I think she's …"

Emma's eyes shot open wondering why she'd stop talking. The woman was glaring into the fire, tears rushing out.

"No. No … Maybe she deserves it." she whispered.

Emma wanted to say something but her head was buzzing and her vision was blur. And her mouth dry. Oddly enough she didn't want to be anywhere else thought. She felt she was exactly where she was supposed to be. For the first time of her life she wasn't expecting it to start. She was. She felt alive. She smiled.

She caught the woman's hand and gently squeezed. The woman smiled back. A shy smile.

Emma didn't remember walking or falling asleep. She woke at midday. The sun was burning her bare arm. She opened her eyes and felt her mouth was dry.

She remembered she was supposed to be drifting on a raft on the lake. She pushed the veil the woman had left on her head to protect her from the sun.

She was in the middle of the lake in deed.

She let her burning hand fell in the cool water with delight and licked her wet fingers. Her body was sore but she felt better. She touched her face and head and found no wound what so ever. She moved her feet. Her muscles were tensed but her bones didn't feel broken.

She carefully sat on the raft made of thin long logs and big branches. She stretched like a cat and felt hunger growl in her stomach.

She couldn't see the swan anywhere. She turned her eyes to the shore and let out a gasp. The whole fucking forest was there. Waiting. Lions, bears, wolves, deers. Foxes, badgers. And the Beast. It was waiting, growling lowly, laying on the gravels. Its enormous yellow eyes fixed on Emma.

But suddenly a strident scream came down the sky. It was close to the scream the woman let out on the morning. Close to a seagull yell. It went on like if the bird wanted to say something. It was loud and angry. Emma searched the sky and finally saw her. The swan wasn't as graceful in the sky as it was on water but her large wings were impressive.

The bird splattered her with a large amount of clear and cold water. Emma coughed and complained weakly. To be honest the coolness came in the right time. The sun was killing her. She wondered if there was monsters in the lake. And if she could jump out of the raft and swim a little without the thing breaking. Obviously she couldn't afford that. She would drown. Or die eaten.

She decided she would rather drown. But still. She couldn't decide if she would take the chance just now. So she didn't. She just laid back and played with the water with both hands. The swan was turning around her. She smiled at her and the animal came closer. Her feathers were very soft. Emma noticed that her eyes weren't red as usually are regular black swan's eyes. Her eyes were closer to purple. And the feathers had a kind of blue-purple glow. A bit like raven feathering.

"You are a very beautiful magical swan …" she whispered.

The swan answered by a weird bird-like giggle and raised on her hind legs while flapping its wings.

Emma thought a lot. Watched the quiet bird slide on its mercury kingdom. Watched the animals get bored and leave. Some came back. Most didn't. She listened to the birds in the forest. Admired the open sky painting its proud clouds. She watched the shape of the mountains. The height of the trees. Their shade of green. Eventually she fell asleep.

The big black bird woke her with soft pushes. The beach was deserted and the sky was dark and pink. She realised she was cold. She had a shrill and got up a little too suddenly, making the world spin before her eyes. The raft had hold. Her back was wet on some parts but mostly she was dry. And her back wasn't too sore. She yawned and smiled and laid back. She felt good. But the swan pushed her again. Yelling with her awful sounds. She frowned. The sunset was near, so she guessed the bird would turn back.

Maybe she wanted to get rid of her quickly. Or maybe it was something else. Something in the lake. Another shrill rushed up her spine and she checked she had the woman's dress and laid on her belly to row towards the shore. She had just reached the beach and was standing water up to her ankles when a terrifying sound came out the water. It all went very fast. The lake started to boil in the center. The light of day disappeared and a cloud of smoke swallowed the swan to throw back the naked woman. Emma ran to the shore, the woman hot on her heels. She pushed Emma away from the water. The rack suddenly sank and then all went calm. The birds had abruptly stopped to sing. The woods were absolutely silent.

"Sorry …" breathed the woman laying on top of her. "You can't stay in the water at night. It's … Let say it's not safe."

"Yeah … I got that … Well … Some place you have here!"

The woman smiled playfully.

"Yes, isn't it?"

Emma let her head fall in the gravels and looked at the stars in the sky. She couldn't see the moon but she knew it was mostly full. It would be a bright night. Maybe she didn't have to leave right away.

The woman cleared her throat and Emma realised she was holding her, both hands on her waist. She blushed.

"Sorry." she mumbled.

She gave her back the dress she had carefully retrieved from the raft trying her best not to look. The dress was wet though.

"Sorry I couldn't keep it dry …"

"It's fine. I have another one in my place. I usually don't wear it since I usually go to the water naked in the morning, it's more convenient that way but …"

The woman bit her lip and frowned. She avoided Emma's gaze and looked at her dress.

"It's not that wet anyway, and it's a warm night … I'll just keep it."

It was freezing. But Emma didn't say anything. She must have had her reasons.

"So … What's in the water anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know that! I never knew. I just got lucky on my first day I guess. I was so eager to rejoin the shore when the beast had left that I was out of the water when it started boiling and all so … I never tried my chances with that. Every time I think I should I get scared and I don't."

"Well, I surely can understand that!"

A weird silence fell in which none of them moved. The woman was looking intensely at her. A look of pure joy and pain painting her smooth features.

"Would you care to see my garden before I lead you back to the door?"

"Yes! Please!" said Emma, glad to have a good reason to stay. She was trying to figure a way, anything, to stay or to take the woman with her. Killing the Beast couldn't be further from her mind right in this instant.

"Good … And then I'll give you back your sword and you'll go, won't you?"asked the woman looking worried. "Because, you can't come again. Never … promise me." sorely whispered the woman. "Please … Swear you won't come back this time …"

"I can't. I want to see you again …" answered Emma taking a step closer. "Tell me your name. Please?"

The woman wiped a tear off shaking her head. She stepped back, eyes on her hands.

"If you come back, you won't see me. You will never see me again. You must leave. I won't come. I swear. I won't come to you. I'll let the Beast kill you … You have to leave …" her words where hard to speak. "Please … Emma … You have to leave me alone …"

"Why?! I …"

Their gaze met. So much pain and loneliness was shining through the black eyes. Emma couldn't stop herself from closing the distance between them and gently place her palm on her cheek. She erased a tear with the thumb. The woman didn't move away.

"You have to leave … I'm not who you think I am … The Beast will be back. She will hurt you. Kill you. I am dangerous. You have to go. Promise me you will never come back. Please …" Begged the woman.

"You saved me … Why?" Whispered Emma taking another step forward.

The woman shivered. Closed her eyes. It had been so long since someone had touched her. It had been so long since someone had cared. She couldn't even remember how long. She had no idea how long she had been trapped in these woods. Emma moved even closer. Emma's thumb flew over her lips and then the hand dove in her hair. Slowly tugging her by the neck anchoring their bodies.

She missed a heart beat. Emma's soft lips brushed her cheek. It was nothing chaste and friendly. Her body was burning. She was fighting the urge to give in. To let her own hands discover the curves of the other woman's back. So she just stood still. Eyes closed. Hands clenched into tight fists. Parted lips. Burning like a hurricane of desire as Emma drew the line of her jaw. One hand sill in her hair, the other stroking her back and her buttock. Slowly moving to her belly. Her breathing rate increased to a breakdown point.

She wanted this.

She had want this since the moment she had seen the beast knock out the woman on the beach and felt her heart break at the idea she was unable to do anything. She had want this since the moment she had ran her hand in her soft locks glued in blood the night after that. Both surprised and thankful there was still a shred of life in the rag doll the Beast had left to die on the beach.

She moaned.

Desire was burning inside Emma too. She had to touch her. She had to possess her, be inside her. She could already feel her wetness on her fingers in anticipation. Taste her skin. Taste her sweat while she would drink her moans of pleasure. She had to hear her scream, make her body sore. Force her back to arch and take wild forms. Moan. And moan again. And beg.

She had never been that powerfully driven to someone. Her scent was driving her mad. She opened her mouth a little and let her tongue taste the soft skin of her neck. Pulling her even closer. The woman moaned again and, with fragile knees, grabbed her to avoid falling. Instinctively Emma's knee reached the woman's core between her parting legs. She spread a little more and pushed herself searching for more contact. Her own leg found Emma's crotch. They were moving slowly, like a dance of hands and thighs.

When she couldn't take it anymore Emma pushed her gently and seizing her face with both hands leaned to kiss her.

But suddenly the Huntsman's angry voice cut through the night. Now she could see the full moon in the sky. The night had become very bright.

"Get away from her!" he shouted. "Get away witch!"

The woman looked terrified and sad. She pushed Emma crying.

"I'm sorry …" She whispered. Already turning away.

Emma wanted to chase after her but an arrow skim past her arm. Emma turned around towards the Huntsman. Shouting.

"Stop! Stop!" She threw herself at him pushing the bow away. She looked back. The woman was gone. Vanished into the woods.

"Why would you do that?!" She shouted.

"She's a witch Emma! She's _the_ Evil Witch!"

Emma sighted. It was a choc to hear it said out loud. But if she was honest, deep down she already knew. Of course she knew. Who else could it be?

"Regina …" She whispered slowly, her eyes in the far.

"Yes."Confirmed the man, wrongly relived she had finally understood the nature of the situation.

Emma was a knight and as such she knew when to retreat to be able to win the next battle. She obediently followed the man back to the Enchanted Forest where Bealfire and her parents waited for her. Terrified and angry.

 **ooo OO ooo**

 **Little brother and little sister**

 **ooo OO ooo**

Emma watched the sun hide behind the mountains after the stretch of water and the forest. She wanted to scream, yell at the star not to hide. Or to hide and never come back. Her cheeks burned from the tears. Dried. She was dried too. She felt dead. She felt like a monster. She knew it was wrong. They were right. They ought to be.

She couldn't care, she couldn't desire that woman.

Why couldn't she be normal?

Why couldn't she be in love with Baelfire? She had been once. It was warm and comforting and easy. He was a good friend …

And there was Neil. She had always felt as if his love was free, unconditional. Pure. He loved her more than anything in the world. She was his hero. Always. But now, something was broken. She had come back to a broken little boy that had looked right through her and didn't want to hear her reasons. She had left him, once more. She had abandoned him, she had choose adventure over him.

She had choose a witch over his birthday.

And now he didn't want to talk to her ever again. He was angry and hurt and she knew he was right. She had been selfish and mad. This feelings she had were wrong and bad. She had to change.

She had to stop hurting the people she loved and loved her back. Her family. People she truly knew. She had to grow up. She looked a last time towards the Black Woods, hidden deep in the Enchanted Forest and went back inside. She put the dress she had chosen for the occasion and ready herself for what she had to do. Apologize, to everyone. And hope Baelfire's offer still stood.

A few days later Emma had to admit she had never been that happy. Neil had forgiven her. He had agreed to say that adults were sometimes really strange and made weird decisions. Her parents were over their heads happy about her decision. And Bae was the happiest man in the lands. Both their kingdom too.

Finding the swan and the woods seemed a far away dream to Emma even a few days after leaving Regina. She watched the morning raise and found that her heart still ached but she convinced herself that it would go away.

A few minutes from now her mother would rush into her room and talk very fast and loose her mind and make Emma crazy about flowers, cakes, dresses, food, music, the ball, the guests, the dining arrangements and the sleeping arrangements and the music for the way and the birds, or no birds, and … Did she mention the cake?

Emma closed that tiny door in her mind and dove into her life. Into a proper life. She had finally agreed she had to settle and stop putting herself in danger for no reason at all.

In a way the meeting of the Evil Witch had been her destiny.

She had come home.

It had been a week since she was married and she had to admit she still was happy. She was starting to think, really and honestly believe, that the whole event had been a trigger to her realisation that she had to stop being a coward and run away all the time. More than anything. She had managed to convince herself that what everyone wanted for her was what she wanted for herself. She wouldn't put it like that, but she had. She had successfully killed her desires and replaced them by convenient ones, ones that were expected to be.

But a small stinging ache remained. She convinced herself that it was merely the want to say goodbye. No matter what they say she could still agree with herself on the fact that the witch had in deed changed. She didn't have to save her. Emma convinced herself that was all she wanted. Say goodbye and thank you, nothing more. Because if the witch didn't deserved to be saved she at least deserved honesty.

At first Bae frowned and Emma prepared herself to an argument but he finally smiled and nodded. He said he was happy she had told him and be honest. It had convinced him she was telling the truth and, after all they had been friends a long time and he knew she was a free spirit.

Her parents and her brother weren't too happy. Even with Baelfire ensuring them he would go with her and make sure she was safe.

They arrived just after nightfall. Baelfire agreed to stay on the other side and wait for her with the horses. Entering slowly the woods Emma was terrified and she wouldn't admit she was terrified by herself more than the monsters and the tricks of the place.

She breathed deeply and went her way.

She didn't hear the slight crack behind her, all turned to her thoughts. She passed the first river and a second. She didn't really hear them sing anymore. She just knew they were.

She saw the gravel beach from the edge of the woods but didn't go right away. She wanted to wait for her thirst to go away and think of her words. She wanted Regina to know who she was. She wanted her to know that even if she, Emma, couldn't do anything to free her, someone would and someone should … because Regina deserved it.

She frowned. Her thirst had flowed back but an instinctive itch was stinging her stomach. She turned her gaze to the dark of the woods and squinted. The moon wasn't very bright but some of its silver light threaded its way between the leaves. She distinguished a form laying over the water and realised in horror that it was a human. A small human!

"No! Don't drink!" she shouted running towards the dark form.

"But I'm so thirsty …" whispered a boy's voice she recognized all too well.

"Neil! Neil! What are you doing here!? No! No! Neil!"

Too late.

The boy had tasted the delightful cool clear enchanted water. His wet eyes shone with pain and terror as Emma grabbed him crying. She lifted him in the air and squeezed him tight. She was terrified too. Lost. She was mumbling weakly. "No … No …"

But it was too late. She felt the small body starting to shiver and change. She fell to her knees praying to the earth. To the moon. To everything. To nothing.

"No … No … Not you little brother … No …"

The small deer she was still holding shook his head and squirmed to get free. She let go and watched him run around, taking in his new body.

The deer pushed her shoulder gently. And Emma dissolved into tears.

"I told you not to come back, Emma …" whispered a warm and low voice out the shadows.

Regina. She stepped in the light and the deer let her pet his neck. She smiled sadly to him.

"I … I just wanted to see you one last time … I was only going to say goodbye. I know I shouldn't have but … I told everyone I just wanted to say goodbye. To let go. To let you know who I was but …" her voice cracked.

"You look like her, a bit …" whispered Regina reaching for her face. "Maybe not so much. Maybe I just knew you ought to be her daughter … This is my punishment. I deserved it, Emma. All of this …"

Regina caressed her cheek gently with the thumb. She was crying too.

"I break everything, Emma. I am a monster, Snow was right. I am beyond saving. I did this to myself. I deserve it. You must forget me … Promise me you will."

Emma nodded but didn't say anything. She was incapable to speak. Her little brother was happily running round them, jumping over the river.

Regina twisted her wrist and Emma's sword appeared in a purple cloud. Another one and an apple poped in her hand. She approached the dear and teased him with the apple. The boy-deer was suspicious but eventually took a bite from the fruit. Regina seized the occasion to grab him by the neck by both hands. A cloud of purple haze reached out her hands in heavy rolling waves. Emma didn't move. She was stunned and terrified but somehow she knew what she was doing.

She trusted the woman blindly.

The cloud swallowed the deer slowly as Regina was trembling. He was trying to escape but her grasp was too tight. The boy suddenly started to shift back.

The moment he came back into shape Regina fell on her knees and a horrifying scream torn the quietness of the night. The Beast.

"Run!" whispered the exhausted witch. Her face torn by fear and love.

Emma looked at her, an agreement passing between the two women.

"I'll never forget you Regina …" she whispered grabbing her brother and squeezing her swords handle. She started to run. Not looking back.

The terrifying sound of the Beast running in the woods and dangerously approaching was loud in her ears.

She didn't see Regina faint.

 **ooo oOo ooo**

 **To Kill a Mocking Bird**

 **ooo oOo ooo**

During the three month that followed her brother's transformation she had stand by her words. She never went back to see Regina. Even if all her good work in convincing herself was ruined.

She couldn't deny it anymore. She was only thinking about her and about how much she missed her touch, her smile, the sound of her voice and her weird way of talking.

But since a few weeks she wearied less. She had good reasons. Two good reasons mostly. She was pregnant and that made her happy to an unexpected extend. Happier than ever.

And she had met someone that shared her absolute adoration of Regina and whom she could talk about her feelings and share her heart with. She had been meeting the man in secret for a few weeks. Funny enough he had come to her the same day she learned of her pregnancy and she took it as a good sign. She wasn't exactly superstitious but she could feel the need to indulge into comforting beliefs just like anyone.

He had come to her in the gardens of her mother's birth castle while she was reading under the old apple tree she knew to be Regina's. He presented himself right away and, without fear admitted who he was. He was worried because the word was out that the Evil Queen was still living in the Black Woods and had her powers. People were angry and scared.

Emma blamed herself a lot for that but she couldn't really blame her little brother for telling what had happened.

Emma mumbled. Baelfire was late, again, and she had to wait for him which would make her late for her meeting with the old man.

She called for the guard and explained to him that she was bored to wait and ordered him to give the word to her husband that they would see each other at diner that night because she didn't want to wait.

No one was there, under the tree, so she sat and opened her book. She was glad that her mother proposed Bae and her to live in the lonely castle.

Her parents had settled in the White's castle after their wedding and soon enough had even stopped to come in the winter to Snow's castle. It held too much sad memories. Another good thing was that Bae and her would be half way from both their families there and were able to practice ruling over the lands depending from the castle.

Both Belle and Snow thought it to be a good thing since they ought to inherit both Belle and Snow's kingdoms in time.

Emma had to admit she kind of liked it, ruling. She liked the mornings when people would come to her with their problems and she ought to find a proper and just solution. For some it could seem as the problems were minor but to whom they belonged to it was often a matter of sanity or even life or death. She was kind of proud too, since she had heard the people had start to call her Emma the Probe. Old people that could remember even compared her to her gran-mother Queen Eva, well known for her kindness.

Everyone had forget, and forgive, her role in her brother's misfortune. After all she had been a White knight for so long, she had proven her good heart and her righteousness enough for a life time.

"Princess?" finally shyly whispered the old man.

"Henry! Come on! Sit, please … So, what news from the town?" she casually asked to Regina's father.

The old man slowly stepped towards her with a bright smile. He had hidden in a small cottage for the past twenty eight years. No one really knew the Queen's steward was her father. He was very old. He didn't really knew why he had survived all these years, convinced his daughter was dead. But since he had met Emma a wave of happiness and hope had rushed over his old features and revived him.

"Nothing much … Nothing new … And yourself, princess?"

"Oh, pretty much the same too … I am reading a new book. I found it in the castle's library. I thought maybe Regina had read it … so I took it."

"Oh, she might have read it. She loved to read once … I taught her you know?" he said proudly as Emma smiled shaking her head but not saying anything, to encourage him to continue. "Yes … Cora wanted a preceptor to teach her everything but I held on … for the reading anyway. I taught her everyday. She was eager to learn. She wanted to understand everything. And … well I guess it stopped one day. Something broke. I should have protected her from Cora but I couldn't, I couldn't. I was so weak, so frightened. I was frightened she would leave me, Cora. I was afraid to loose Regina of course but I can be honest with you now, it doesn't make any sense not to be honest … I was mostly afraid to loose Cora. I couldn't stand it at the time. Even if she treated me badly and even if she was bad for my daughter. I just couldn't."

"I can understand that … Love is a tricky thing. Sometimes the things you should do are too difficult and the things you ought not to do are necessary."

"Yes."

They talked casually for some time. Henry told her some stories about Regina when she was young and happy. Emma could tell something was bothering him though and she eventually asked him. He admitted his worries to be related to something he had heard in town.

They were saying that some young knights were assembling a team to hunt down the witch. They had decided to go during the day, when she was a swan and only protected by the Beast and the animals.

"But they are people! The animals! They can't kill them! And … Oh, dear! Regina …"

"I know … I thought … I thought maybe you could talk to your husband? He let you go to say goodbye … Or your mother? She loved Regina so much when she was a little girl … Maybe, maybe she would believe you if you told her that she's changed, that she's good again. She did save you, and your brother …"

Emma nodded. She didn't know what exactly she would do but she would certainly do something.

At diner she was certain that talking to Baelfire was a good idea. So it is with a strong and lighter heart that she walked to the dining room where she would meet him. An instinctive shrill made her stop at the door when she heard voices. Bae was speaking in a low secretive voice. She knew some of the other voices. The Huntsman was one of them. And Glenn, Cole's brother too. She frowned and hid in the shadows. There was Dave too, a rather stupid knight fighting for Bae. She never quite liked him as he made clear the first day they had met that he would never obey an order given by a woman. And he had stood by this statement since then.

She quickly understood with horror that they were the knights Henry was talking about. Bealfire was planning to kill Regina! Emma held her breath. A hand on her heart she closed her eyes. She had to think quick.

She decided to do what she had always did best. Be who she was.

She ran. She ran to the stables and under the surprised gaze of the stable boy she ran away from her castle. She urged her horse to run faster than he had ever ran.

Only driven by fear and a deep feeling of treason. Praying that her parents weren't accomplices. Praying they would never betray her and go behind her back in that awful way. She rushed to Henry's house, hoping the man would be there.

He opened surprised and shocked and Emma fell in his arms.

"It's him! It's Bae! My Bae! my husband! He wants to kill her! Oh, Henry! Henry, what am I going to do?!"

"Calm down! Princess first … Will he follow you? Does he know where you are?"

"No. I don't think so …"

"Good. So, you need to go, do you have friends, knights that would help you to protect my daughter? And the people that are trapped in the forest?"

"No … Not knights. My knights went back to White castle. There's only Bae's knights here. But … Maybe … Maybe friends, yes. Pinocchio. And … Hook! Hook will help me! He was so angry at Baelfire when he came back a few month ago. Bae barely talked to him, he merely _threatened_ to kill him if he tried to hurt his father. Hook just wanted to see us, his friends. You see he spent all this time trapped in Neverland and he didn't age, all the people he knew are old now. And we were only kids, we grew we had adventures, he wanted to know … And he saved Wendy, Bae doesn't even know, since he left so fast after threatening him. I think he was really hurt that Bae would think he would kill his father when it was obvious that Rumple was a totally different man. I think he'll help."

"Good. Anyone else?"

"I … I don't know. I will go see Pinocchio and Hook but I'll also write to my parents and to Red. I can't go see them in case they know and they're in on it. But even if they don't they might want to stop me and help Bae. I mean, they almost got my memories erased last time so … I can't risk it."

"Good … I can go see your parents and …" Henry bit his lip. He looked so much like his daughter right now. "I can think of someone that might want to help us …"

"Who?"

"Maleficent."

Emma's face lit up. Her godmother might, in deed, want to help her save her friend. After all she had tried to deter Regina to cast the curse in the first place. And she had lived peacefully the past twenty eight years. Raising her daughter in her castle and breeding unicorns. Some even said she used light magic now.

"Fine. Oh Henry I'm so scared! How could he betray me like that?!"

"Jealousy?"shyly proposed Henry.

 **ooo oooo ooo**

 **Fairy Tales Happy Endings are Queer**

 **ooo oooo ooo**

The noises and screams of the battle was terrifying. It came out the bramble wall in waves. Pinocchio looked at her and swallowed. He was a toy maker, and he wasn't made of wood anymore …

Emma only had a smile to offer in comfort.

Hook and the pirates were smiling, even if fighting on land wasn't their specialty, fighting is fighting.

Maleficent and Lilly smiled and nodded. They raised their hands and the wall started to fall.

They were fighting at the edge of the woods and the beach. The swan was nowhere to be seen. The Beast was pierced by countless spears and arrows. Some corpses were already strewed over the floor. Emma noticed angrily that one of them was a young boy who couldn't be much older than her own brother.

She thought of the lions Regina had talked about.

They threw themselves against the knights. Her small company had been ordered to prevent the animals from hurt. It was risky as they could turn on them too, not aware on which side they were. But when Emma met the Beast's gaze she knew that the Beast had understood. She screamed, throwing a knight in the water. The animals joined their forces with the pirates and the trees the two dragon-witches had awaken.

It only took a few minutes before the remaining knights surrendered. Baelfire took off his helmet, he looked angry.

"Emma! What are you doing?!" he shouted. His arm looked broken.

The Huntsman stood near him, holding his thigh, obviously in pain.

"I could ask you the same! Why would you do that?! Why would you attack innocent people and two lonely and harmless monsters!? Look at them! The Beast can't leave the woods and neither can Regina! Isn't it painful enough that they are trapped in that awful place of despair and loss?! They are surrounded by sorrow, Bae! What else could be worse?! Can't you leave them at least a chance of happiness?!"

"No! They don't deserve happiness! _She_ doesn't deserve happiness! She's a monster!"

The Huntsman looked at his feet. His shoulders fell in understanding.

"I'm sorry …" whispered the old man.

"What?! What are you sorry for?!" shouted Bae, still angry.

"For that." said the Huntsman pointing to the dead boy, his blond locks laying on the gravels. He looked like he was sleeping. "I'm sorry for that …"

Bae's face turned white and he let go of his sword. He looked at Emma in pain. And as he was about to speak a loud sound of falling made them all look towards the Beast.

The swan screamed over their heads and fell from the sky at impressive rate. She landed near her old enemy's head.

The sky turned pink as night started to fall.

The Beast let out a sore and wet throaty growl. They all stood there as sunlight hid behind the mountains and the trees, taking the swan and the beast skins away … Only leaving two broken and naked woman behind. The witch that had been the Beast was very old, her hair was white. Regina plunged her eyes in the clear blue pools and grabbed her wrinkled hand.

A blue glow was evaporating from her with a light sound. A bit like a whisper of gratitude. Regina held her gaze and her hand until she saw life leave the old broken body.

A wave of blue magic burst and with surprised gasps and screams the animals of the forest regained their human form. Four blonde boys ran to the dead boy on the beach screaming the name of their brother and Cole fell on his knees crying near them.

Emma walked towards Regina, letting go of her sword. She passed by Bealfire without a look for him. She seized the woman and pulled her in a warm hug.

"I'll never leave you again … And there's nothing you can do or say that would make me change my mind." she whispered in the other woman's hear.

"I wouldn't want it any other way …" answered Regina.

"Emma! Wait! Wait a minute … What about me? What about our baby? What about what she did?!"

"Yes _w_ _hat_ about what _she_ did, Bae?" asked coldly Cole raising up. He was holding the smaller of the boys in his arms. Crying over his shoulder. "What about what you did, what about what I did when I was a knight?! What about all the fathers and brothers we killed in the wars? What about what your father did in his time, when _he_ was dark?! Why does he gets to be forgiven and not Regina?! Because he is your father?! Well she's my friend! She protected me, made me laugh, made me forget that I was scared and lost when the Beast's curse turned me into a lion. She told us stories, fed us, ran with us in the forest so we would enjoy being who we were now and stop regretting who we had been! She healed our pains, our wounds … Doesn't _that_ gets her a little credit?! What about all the lost people she helped leave the woods before the thirst took over them?"

Regina hid her face in Emma's neck. She was too tired. She was too lost. She was too scared. Emma put a finger under her chin and made her look up.

"Regina …" she whispered. "Do you want to leave the woods and come live with me?"

Regina shivered and nodded, a shy smile over her lips.

"Good, because I think I love you …" she whispered even lower, leaning to kiss her, her heart beating faster than it had ever beat.

As their lips touched a wave of white magic burst and rolled over the entire world.

 **ooo ooOoo ooo**

 **Epilogue**

Or

As My Imaginary Unicorn Friend Tagged It

 **And They Lived Happily Ever After and Had Henry et caetera**

 **ooo ooOoo ooo**

Emma looked up from her task and wiped off her brow of sweat and dirt. The summer sun was burning her shoulders. She let her shovel fall in the garden and went to the nearest apple tree. She had left a bottle there. The glass kept the water rather cool in the shadow. She looked up but found herself disappointed since no apple was ready yet.

Her stomach growled.

She looked around but couldn't see anyone.

She frowned.

"Hey! Kids!? It's gonna be time to eat!"

No answer.

She frowned again but after a while she just shrugged and sat under the tree. She closed her eyes for a moment.

She smiled. Thinking of the past.

Her mind took her back from memory to memory until it settled on this night. The first night. Under the stars and a half smiling moon. They could see the lights of the temporary camp on the beach Emma's parents had raised after they buried the dead. They had come as soon as they could but were too late. Emma had chosen t believe they were genuinely going to help her free Regina. And they probably were.

Regina had took her to her _place_ with the former fox. They had put the child to sleep in Regina's place, a whole in a dead tree.

Emma had sat next to the woman, outside, and put an arm around her shoulders.

The contact of their skin had soon led them to shiver. And Emma had made love to her for the first time on a sweet carpet of green and cool grass. Their bodies had found one another and their hands had become adventurers. Emma had tasted her slowly and hungrily. Regina's hand in her hair sending small chill down her spine to her core. She had watched in amazement the woman arch, moaning and trembling, both hands on her own breasts. And then calm down and pull her into another hug. Raising to sit, their legs tangled. Their pubis brushing. She had let her slide inside her, one, then two then three fingers. Their hips finding the pace right away. She had never felt that good. That connected to someone.

That hungry for someone's skin.

"Emma, dear?" whispered Regina's voice to her ear. In the present.

"Mm … what?" she mumbled. Regina's lips on her neck. Her hands on her hips.

Emma's eyes burst open and her arms trapped the woman with a wicked smile. Regina giggled.

"Ha-ah! You're mine now!" said playfully Emma hiding her face in her woman's neck while she settled on her lap, straddling her. "Where are the kids?"

"Well, if you must now the _lions_ invited them to have a picnic at the beach. They want to test the dock, Cole said it's almost finished."

"I don't like our kids playing in the lake …" mumbled Emma. "But since they're already there … we might as well enjoy our little freedom, don't you think?"

"Oh, well, if we must … What did you have in mind?"

"Mm … Dunno …" answered Emma unraveling the corset holding Regina's breasts captive. "I might free you from your clothes … They are very mean clothes …"

"Oh?" moaned Regina near Emma's lips.

"Yeah …" she said before catching her lips, her fingers drawing the edge of her harden nipples. She couldn't get enough of that woman. No matter what she did. Every little thing, every little movement was making her shiver. Taking her breath away.

Regina moaned again as Emma rushed to push her long skirt up and find her way to her clit. She couldn't wait to touch her wetness. But once she found it she took her time. Kissing her slowly and following the same rhythm with her fingers. Rubbing her clit, her labia. Sometimes letting the tip of her finger dare inside her vagina. Just the tip. Just to torture her, pull another growl.

"Please …" begged Regina's sore voice.

She was moving faster, pushing herself to meet more of Emma's fingers.

The back of her hand brushing her own pubis through her pants Emma pushed up her thighs. Two fingers entered and she found the spot right away. Regina screamed and grabbed her even harder. And they raced. Their rhythm suddenly erratic and loud. Their breaths panting, melting in deep kisses. Pushing the other until the final push. She felt her wet walls close and crush her fingers while Regina reached an orgasm that cut her breath for a second. Emma moved again. She was close but not there. She indulge in the vision of the other woman trembling on top of her, her fingers still trapped. Suddenly Regina pushed her and pulled her pants. In a matter of seconds her tongue was on her clit and two fingers inside her, she moaned between her legs. Emma grabbed her own breasts and closed her eyes. She didn't even realised she screamed. A wave of pleasure running over her body like little sparkles of electricity.

Their breaths calmed down slowly.

Caressing and kissing the other.

"Mm … I like to kiss you after I tasted you, I like to know you're tasting yourself in my mouth …" whispered Regina in her ear.

They were still moving a bit, tangled legs.

"Mm … Don't say that … It kills me. I can't get enough of you."

"Good girl …" answered Regina her knee pushing harder against Emma's core.

It would be a long afternoon. But they had all the time in the world.

Henry and Scarlet, the orphan little fox, would be safe at the lake with Celia, the old former lion lady, Cole and the four lion boys.

Almost everyone had stayed in the woods after the Beast had died. They hadn't had the heart to leave each other. And except from a few people that still had family, they were all pretty alone anyway. Cole had fell for on of the bears, a big woman with enormous breasts, Hariet. And he had built a big farm house for them, the four blonde boys and Celia whom he now considered a sister.

They all were pretty happy in their weird paradise.

Henry Senior had a small house glued to the one Regina and Emma had built near Regina's rose garden. And Baelfire, helped by his reunion with Wendy, had eventually accepted their separated paths. He came rather often to see little Henry but he had remarried, with Wendy, and had had a baby.

Even Snow, David and Neil seemed happy to join them for teas and picnics in the woods from time to time. Neil was nearly eighteen now and was to be the heir since Emma had given up that right when she had settled with Regina into the woods.

They might go to the lake later that day. They would have a party anyway, probably, to enjoy the dock. They would make a big fire on the beach, the whole village would come. They would dance, laugh, tell stories and watch Regina and Emma improvise a magic show. Emma was becoming rather good at it. In five years Regina had taught her some nice tricks. They would drink some of the village famous apple cider. It was famous in all the realms. Soon, at the end of summer they would harvest the apples and lit the big alembic at the center of the village. And they would make the _Queen Apples Black Cider_.

Yes, it was a good life in deed. They couldn't dream better.

 _ **ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo**_

 _ **Random notes that I wanted to add for those who want to know:**_

 _In my mind the beast is the first witch that enchanted the rivers in the woods. It is a bit of a story called "Little Brother and Little Sister". I imagined that she was turned by the same magical water that turned Regina into a swan. But I didn't want to write that in the story because I didn't._

 _That been said, thanks for reading and be aware that no review has never been unwelcome, no matter as small as it may be._

 _Take care and tell people you love you love them._

Fluctuat nec mergitur.


End file.
